Rock piercing blowpipe



R. O. WYLAND, JR

ROCK PIERCING BLOWPIPE Nov. 9, 1954 2 Shees-Sheet l \Filed Sept. 14, 1950 L gg . INVENToR RAY O.WYLAND,JR.

ff r' ATTORNEY rml- Nov9, 1954 R. o. WYLANQJR 2,693,937 ROCK PIERCING BLOWPIPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1950 INVENTOR RAY 0. WYL-AND, JR

2,693,937 Patented Nov. e, 1954 ROCK PIERCING BLOWPIPE Ray O. Wyland, Jr., Somerville, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application September 14, 1950, Serial No. 184,747 13 Claims. (Cl. Z55-36) This invention relates to an improved blowpipe of the internal combustion type, and more particularly to a long blowpipe which is advantageous for piercing holes in rock.

Among the objects of the invention are: to provide improved mixing of fuel and oxidant; to increase the life of a rock piercing blowpipe; to provide an internal combustion blowpipe which can be rapidly and easily taken apart and repaired; to improve the cooling of a blowpipe nozzle of the internal combustion type; to provide a rock piercing blowpipe including an improved shield; and to provide an improved rock piercing blowpipe which is simple, economical and rugged in construction, and suiiciently light in weight to be manipulated easily by an operator.

The above and other objects will become apparent from the following description, having reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational View showing a blowpipev in position for piercing a hole in a body of rock;

Figs. 2a and 2b are longitudinalsectional views of the upper end portion and the lower end portion, respectively, of the same blowpipe embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the lower part of the same blowpipe, taken at 90 degrees from the view shown in Fig. 2b; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken along the lines 4-4, 55 and 6 6, respectively, in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. l, a novel blowpipe B, in accordance with the present invention comprises a burner nozzle N` which operates within a hole A being pierced in a body of rock R, an elongated huid-conducting tubular member T extending rearwardly from the nozzle to a handle H, and a shield S through which the tubular member T slides so that the shield is held in contact with the face of the rock as the nozzle advances.

Referring to Figs. 2a to 6, the nozzle N comprises a header 11 over the front end of which is threaded a removable and replaceable unitary hollow internal combustion chamber member 13. Member 13 forms, with a conically concave front face 15 of header 11, an internal combustion chamber 17 including a throat 19 of reduced cross section and a ilaring or divergent discharge passage 21.

A iiuid fuel such as kerosene or fuel oil is injected into chamber 17 through a longitudinal passage 23 in header 11 which terminates in a short duct 25 inclined toward the nozzle axis and having its outlet arranged eccentrically in the front face 15. Fuel is supplied to passage 23 by a long tube 27 which extends rearwardly from header 11 to the handle H wherein it connects by way of a passage 29 with a fuel supply conduit 31 controlled by a valve 33.

Oxygen or other fluid oxidant is injected into the combustion chamber 17 by a longitudinal oxygen passage 35 in header 11 which terminates in a short duct 37 having its outlet arranged eccentrically in the face 15 on the side opposite the outlet of fuel duct 2S. Duct 37 in inclined toward the axis of the nozzle and also inclined substantially normally toward the fuel duct 25. Oxygen passage 35 is supplied with oxygen by a long tube 39 extending rearwardly to the handle H and connecting with an oxygen passage 41 which receives oxygen from a supply conduit 43 controlled by a valve 45.

The oxygen from duct 37 atomizes the fuel from duct by impinging against it forcibly and the two mix intimately together as they enter the combustion chamber 17. Thus no complicated and expensive special atomizer a hole being pierced. Supersonic and injector is needed. In normal operation the burning mixture is discharged through throat 19 and flaring passage 21 to the outside of the nozzle at an extremely high velocity to form a llame which is exceptionally ellicient for removing particles of rock and expelling them from ame velocities between 5000 and 6000 feet per second have been realized.

Cooling of the chamber member 13 by water is necessary because of the high temperatures involved. The outside of the chamber member 13 comprises a helical water-swirling land 46 integral therewith and extending is threaded into the end ber member.

forwardly from the rear end of the member. Also formed integrally with the chamber member 13 opposite the throat 19 is an annular external ange 47 ahead of the land 46 and spaced above the forward end of the cham- The flange 47 has a plurality of circumferentially arranged longitudinal water ducts 49 therethrough inclined forwardly towards the nozzle axis.

A shell 53 is threaded over the header 11 and extends forwardly over the combustion chamber member 17 with its internal surface closely adjacent to and preferably in contact with the land 46 and the flange 47 to provide a spiral passage 54 for cooling water around the outside of the chamber member and through the water ducts 49 to an annular water space 55 surrounding the ilaring passage 21. A rubber gasket 51 is carried in an annular groove 52 in ange 47 and presses against shell 53 to prevent leakage of water.

The front end of shell 53 is plugged by a removable and replaceable annular tip 56 having a flange 58 which of the shell, and a counterbore 59 fitting snugly over the lower end of chamber member 13. Tip 56 projects below the lower end of chamber member 13 to protect the latter and has an outlet bore 57 aligned axially with chamber 17. To prevent water leakage an annular gasket 61 of heat-resistant material, such las a copper-asbestos composition, is compressed between tip 56 and a shoulder 60 formed integrally with chamber member 13.

Tip 56 is made of relatively soft metal such as copper but can be protected from excessive abrasive wear by a welded-on plate or layer 62 of hard and heat-resistant material such as a nickel-base alloy containing molybv denum. More than 300 linear feet of hole can be pierced in diabase traprock before'replacement of the tip becomes necessary.

Tip 56 also has a plurality of circumferentially ar-y ranged lateral water discharge ports 63 extending radially through ilange 58 from the ,inside to the outside surface thereof ahead of shell 53 and in communication with the annular water space 55.

Cooling water is supplied to the spiral passage 54, and thence to the radial ports 63, by a pair of longitudinal water passages 65 in the header 11 which open through a pair of radial outlets 67. Water passages 65 receive water from the interior of a long tube 69 which encases the fuel and oxygen supply tubes 27 and 39 and is sleeved over the rear end of the header 11. At its opposite end water tube 69 is secured to handle H and receives water from a supply conduit 71 controlled by a valve 73.

The outside of shell 53 carries a plurality of laterally projecting longitudinal teeth 77, such as four, which are made integral with the shell by silver-soldering or welding. The forward ends of teeth 77 are located just rearwardly of the radial water ducts 63 in position to be cooled by the water streams leaving the latter, which prevent burn-olf of the teeth. Each of the teeth 77 advantageously is a generally cylindrical rod of a heatresistant and abrasion-resistant metal, such as a cobaltchromium-tungsten alloy which is secured to the shell by llet welds 79.

When operating the blowpipe for piercing a hole in a body of rock, an intensely hot high velocity llame is discharged from the internal combustion chamber 17 for heating the rock to loosen material therefrom, predominantly by spalling without melting, although sometimes melting may also occur. The high velocity combustion gases force the removed material or detritus rearwardly and it is quenched by the water jets leaving ports 63. This cools and vdisintegrates the detritusso that it can be readily blown out of the hole by the gaseous products of combustion and the steam formed by the evaportion of water. During the piercing operationthe operator advances the blowpipe into the deepening hole while agi'tating the nozzle in such a way that the teeth 77' break up any large particles of detritus and ream the sides of the hole smooth: and clean.

Steam and particles of detritus are ejected from a holeA with great forceI and these, coupled with the intense heat rediated from the hole, may' injure the operator unless he is protected, as by ashield S'. This comprises a radially extending con'cave plate 8f having a central hole 83 through which tubular member T passes freely. Plate` 81 is bolted by a plurality of longitudinal bolts 85 to an annular flange 87 carried on the forward end' of a longitudinal sleeve 89 which. is slidingly mounted on. the tubular member; Three spaced leaf springs 91 (only onel being shown for illustration) are riveted to the insidev surface of sleeve 8 and are so curved asv to bear against the outside surface of tubular member T. Thus, the shield S lcan be moved to any desiredI position and will remain there due to the' friction of the springs. l

During the piercing of a hole the shield plate 8l must be spacedA a short distancel from the face of the rock R to permit" detritus to drop to the ground. This is accomplished by extending the bolts 85 forwardly the proper distance to act as prongs 92 which are maintained in contact with the rock face around the hole H as the blowpipe B is passed through the shield.

Thel blowpipe of the invention is operated in the field under such severe conditions that it is desirable to= protect the valves 33, 45, and 73 from damage. This is done by a wide dat U-shaped metal bridge 93 which is secured to the front and' rear' ends of handle HY and bridges the several valves. Bridge 93 has three apertures 95 therein through which pass the several supply conduits 31; 43, and 71.

Blowpipes as described, having a nozzle diameter of ll/ inches and a length of about 6 feet have been used successfully for piercing blasting holes feet deep in granite at 25 feet per'hour, in quartzite at 60 feet per hour, in dolomite at 36 feet per hour, and in diabase traprock at 20 feet per hour. They are particularly valuable for piercing secondary blasting holes in large boulders, and Acan be operated vertically, horizontally, or diagonally' for this purpose.

What is claimed is:

l. In a rock piercing blowpipe', a burner nozzle having an outer surface; an internal combustion chamber therein, said chamber having an inlet end, a wall at said inlet end, and an outlet end', a pair of supply passages for fluid fuel and oxidant opening into said chamber through said Wall, said passages being inclined toward one another for discharging intersecting streams of fuel and oxidant into said chamber to mix and burn therein; a divergent passage communicating between said outlet end of said chamber and said outer surface of said nozzle; ducts arranged around said chamber in said nozzle for passing cooling uid around said chamber and' through said nozzle; and exit port means leading from said ducts to said outer surface of said nozzle in the region of the discharge end ofy said diverging passage for flashing said cooling uid to vaporv to provide for the ejection of A detritus from the hole being pierced.

2. A nozzle in accordance with claim 1 wherein' said wall isconically concave and said supply passages open through said' wall at points on opposite` sides of the longitudinaly axis of said chamber.

3. In a rock piercing blowpipe, a burner nozzle in accordance with claim I also having ay tipv comprising a wear-resistant metal ring secured over said nozzle and protruding beyond said discharge end of said' d'iverging passage in axial alignment therewith for protecting said nozzle fromI abrasion, saidring being removable and replaceable at will.

4. A rock piercing blowpipe nozzle comprising a header having a front endf surface and a side surface, fuel and oxidant supply passages in said header opening through said. front end surface, and' atv least one water supply passage in said header having a discharge opening through said side surface; a unitaryinternal combustion chamber member secured at one end to said header below said water supply passage means and having at'. the other end' a divergent substantially axially positionedv outlet passage,

said combustion chamber member comprising a helical land on the outside thereof and an annular flange below said land and spaced above the lower end of said chamber member, said ange having a plurality of circumferentially arranged longitudinal Water ducts therethrough; a shell secured over said header and said combustion chamber member and having the internal surface thereof adjacent said land and said first ange to provide a path for cooling water around' said chamber member; and an annular tip sleeved over and protruding below the lower end of said chamber membersaid` tip having a portion thereof threaded to said shell and annularly spacedv from said chamber member, said tip having a plurality of circumferentiallyv arranged lateral water discharge ports below the lower end of said shell and in communication with the space around said chamber member and an outlet bore axially aligned and communicating with said divergent outlet passage of said chamber member..

5. A nozzle in' accordance with' claim 4' wherein said combustion chamber includes' a constricted throat, and wherein said first annular flange is located adiacent said throat..

l6. A nozzle in accordance with claim- 4 wherein said chamber member has ay second annular flange; said nozzle also comprising an annular gasket of heat-resistant material compressed between said tip andl said second flange to prevent the leakage of water to the lower end of said combustion chamber member.

7. A nozzle in accordance with' claim 4, also comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending teeth carried on the` outside' of said shell, each of said' teeth having the front end thereof adjoining one of said water discharge ports in position to be cooled by water leaving said ports.

8. A nozzle in accordance with claim 7 wherein each of said teeth is a substantially cylindrical long. rod of hard metal welded to said shell.

9. A nozzle in accordance with claim 4 wherein an annulus' is positioned onV the periphery' of said annular flange of said chamber member and a rubber gasket is located in said annulus, said gasket being compressed between said chamber member and said shell to prevent the flow of cooling water otherv thanv through said longitudinal water ducts.

l0. A rock piercing blowpipe comprising the burner nozzle of claiml l at onel end thereof; a handle at the other end thereof; al longitudinal tube connecting said handle to said burner nozzle; a sleeve carried on said tube and slidable therealong;l friction means between said sleeve and said tube comprising at least one leaf spring carried by saidl sleeve and contacting said tube for holding said sleeve in position; and a radial shield carried by saidt sleeve and slidable therewith along said tube.

1l. A rock piercing blowpipe' in accordance with claim l0, alsocomprising at least one prong extending longitudinally forward from said shield for regulating the position of said shield with reference to a rock face, the rear portion of said prong al'so serving to secure said shield to said tube.

l2. A rock piercing blowpipe comprising a burner nozzle as claimed in claim 4 at one end thereof; a handle at the other end thereof; a longitudinal tube connecting said handle to said burner nozzle; a sleeve carried on said tube and slidable there'along; friction means between said sleeve and said tube comprising at least one leaf spring carried by said sleeve and contacting said tube for holding said sleeve in position; and a radial shield carried by said sleeve and slidable therewith along said tube.

13:. A rock piercing blowpipe in accordance with claim l2, also comprising at least one prong extending longitudinally forward from said shield for regulating the position of sa-id shield with reference to a rock face, the rear portion of said prong also serving to secure said shield to said tube;

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,964 Burch Ian. 20, 1948 1,156,083 Karges Oct. lf2, 1915 1,692,382 Nuss Nov.. 20, 1928 @Other references ou following page) Number R 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Aitchison et al Aug. 24, 1943 2523011 Craig Aug. 24, 1943 5 2544419 Koch Mar. 14, 1944 Hess Jan. 9, 1945 6 Name Date Summerfield Aug. 6, 1946 Hggnbotham Apr. 1, 1947 Goddard Sept. 19, 1950 Goddard Mar. 6, 1951 

